Outside Our World
by IcyAurora8
Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New f
1. Chapter 1

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: M**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

Chapter 1

Harry Potter sat at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall, staring off into the space while the sorting took place. Everyone had just arrived at Hogwart's, and Harry and his friends were attending their seventh and final year. The war had ended the spring before, leaving fewer casualties than expected. Thinking back, the conflict really couldn't even be considered a war, but more of a small skirmish. Most of the deaths had been on the Dark side, including the fall of Voldemort himself.

Harry was happy, incredibly so, but that last death was one he refused to talk about. No one, not even Dumbledore, knew how Harry had won. They only observed the boy hero returning from who-knows-where with the Dark Lord's body. The only other proof that the war was finally over was the incredible pain the Dark Mark siphoned into the Death Eater followering his demise, rendering them defenseless and allowing the easy capture of any known members. The rest of the group disbanded not longer after, most not wanting to risk their families and fortunes for a dead madman.

As the sorting finally came to an end, Harry left his thoughts and re-entered reality. Ron had elbowed him to get his attention and Harry turned to him with a huge grin, happy to be with his best friends again. Harry had spent most of his summer locked in his bedroom at the Dursley's, catching up on the studies that he had missed the previous spring. Being able to talk to someone again, and his best friend at that, was a definite plus over the boredom that he had endured for 3 months. The only thing he would miss about his self-imposed isolation would be the lack of stares. He didn't think he would ever become used to being the 'Boy Who Lived.'

Looking to his friend once more, he realized how much Ron had changed over the summer. The red-haired boy now reached a towering six feet three inches. His body finally seemed properly proportioned and with his hair a bit longer - chin length - and bright blue eyes, he certainly had turned into a handsome man (despite the freckles). He was no longer the gangly awkward boy, and Harry felt slightly out of place sitting next to him.

He didn't think of himself as anything special to look at, though unbeknownst to him, most people would disagree with that. Harry had let his hair grow to just past his ears, which in turn covered his slightly fading scar, and his emerald eyes seemed much more brilliant than they had the year before, mostly because the darkness of the war was gone and a brighter future lay at the edge of the horizon. They still held a slight look of sorrow occasionally, but also a deep wisdom, making his face look slightly older than his years. In comparison, his body still looked like that of a seventeen year old. He only stood about five feet eight inches, but his messy hair, which he could never seem to tame, made him seem about two inches taller. His body was lanky but lithe, toned with muscle from his Quidditch playing and he had the grace of a dancer in the air. Not that it helped him dance on the ground any better than he could before; he still had two left feet when it came to rhythm of any kind.

"I can't believe it's all over mate! And we actually have a school to come back to," said Ron, voicing the same topic Harry had just been thinking.

"Yeah, it's weird isn't it? This year is going to feel different, not having a price attached to my head," Harry joked.

Ron laughed. "Well, I suppose if you try hard enough, I'm sure we can get Malfoy to fix that problem for you."

The boys laughed together until Hermione quieted them for Dumbledore's 'welcome back' speech.

The esteemed headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, cleared his throat as he stood up.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I am most pleased to see all the new faces, along with the returning ones. As usual, you know the Forbidden Forest is just that: forbidden. For your own safety, I would suggest you stay out of it, as quite a few nasty things are lurking in there. Also, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes have been added to the list of items not allowed on grounds, and if you have any questions please see the list posted outside of Caretaker Filchs' door," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.

"Finally, there will be a slight change in the seventh years' schedules. Because of the newfound freedom we have, the professors and I believe it would be good for everyone to know a little more about the world we live in. As of now, Muggle Studies is a required class for all those wishing to graduate and all students must pass an exam to gain credit. If you are a seventh year and have already taken the class, please make time to set up an appointment with Professor Maeve to arrange the details of the exam. For all remaining seventh years, you will be dropping one elective and taking Muggle Studies instead. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but nonetheless, please enjoy your year and dig in!" The old headmaster smiled at the students before taking his seat, and with the wave of his hand the tables were filled with the most delectable of foods. It didn't take long for everyone fill their plates and do exactly what the headmaster asked.

"That is so unfair!" Ron shouted, before shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth.

"It is not unfair; I think it's a rather good idea. More people should know about muggles and how they live," huffed Hermione. The girl had certainly matured over the summer, just like Ron. She had filled out, gaining curves in all of the right places. Her dark hair was longer and the weight helped to hold it in check, and she seemed to have taken to styling it in a braid. She was still a petite girl, but her authority made her seem older than she looked. Underneath though, she was definitely still the same bossy bookworm the boys knew and they loved her for it (Ron secretly more than most people).

Ron glared at the girl while Harry spoke up. "Well, I think it's unfair too. At least all you have to do is take the exam, 'Mione, because you already took the class. Now I'm going to have to drop 'Care of Magical Creatures' just to fit this in. Hagrid is not going to be happy about that." Both boys had already dropped Divination the previous year and Hagrid's class was the only remaining elective for the two.

"He does have a point, you know. As much as I won't miss the blast-ended skrewts, I'll miss Hagrid. On the plus side, I rather like all of my limbs. It just sucks that we are forced to take this class, and we'll probably be stuck in the same class as the Slytherins, not to mention that stupid git Malfoy," Ron said as he ladled another heap of food into his awaiting mouth.

Harry sighed. "Well, I guess it could be worse. At least I don't have to take potions this year. I will finally be free of Snape!" Ron laughed, half-chewed food spilling from his open mouth onto the table.

Hermione glared at the two boys. "Ronald Weasley! That is disgusting!" The girl wrinkled her nose in distaste and the red-haired boy looked at her, slightly confused as to what he had done wrong. "Some people are trying to finish a meal here! And Harry! That is no way to speak about a teacher! He is a great professor, even if he is a little vindictive," she finished.

"Whatever 'Mione," the two boys mumbled together. The brown-haired girl sighed quietly and gave up. It wasn't long before normal conversation resumed, and talk of Quidditch, NEWT's, and their final year at Hogwarts continued to the meal's end.

When everyone had cleared their plates of food, Dumbledore stood and spoke to the crowd once more. "Now that we are finished, if all the first years will please report to the Prefects of your house, they will lead you to your dormitories. Let's have a great year and good night to you all."

Harry and Ron made their way out of the Great Hall as the younger students gathered together to be led out, helped by Hermione, the new Head Girl. Terry Boot from Ravenclaw had been chosen as Head Boy. It seemed a little odd to Harry that Draco Malfoy had not been chosen; after all, he was only second to Hermione in the class.

When they reached Gryffindor Tower, they both realized they did not know the new password. They waited for about five minutes before Hermione came up the stairs with a group of first years.

"You should have waited for the password," she stated as she shook her head gently at the two. "You are both impossible." She turned towards the Fat Lady and said "Bowtruckle."

Ron shivered at the word, because of one particular memory in a certain class called 'Care of Magical Creatures.' Last year they had been tending to some of those creatures and when Ron's bowtruckle got a little feisty and decided to take a rather large chunk out of his finger, then the bridge of his nose. They were lucky Madam Pomfrey was used to incidents of this sort and she fixed the freckled boy right up.

Harry laughed, then said, "At least the password isn't 'Acromantula.'"

Ron's face paled at the thought. "I don't think I would even bother trying to get into the common room. I would just sleep in the hallway. Ugh!"

Hermione giggled at the thought then proceeded to lead the first years through the doorway. Harry and Ron followed the group in at the rear. The two boys took a seat on the couch and decided to play some Exploding Snap while waiting for their friend to return.

It was nearly ten o'clock by the time the young witch came back into the room, looking thoroughly exhausted. The trio chatted for a few moments before deciding to head off to bed.

"Goodnight Hermione," said Harry.

"Goodnight Harry, Ron," the girl yawned to them. Ron shouted his goodnight over his shoulder just as the girl turned and walked up the stairs.

The two boys made their way to the dorm they shared with their other three mates, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. It didn't take long for everyone to catch up on their summers and finally settle down for bed.

"You know Harry, I think this year is going to be different. I really do."

"So do I Ron, so do I."

Little did they know just how different it would be.

**Ok… so that was short'n'sweet. I didn't really feel like covering the end of the summer and whatnot, because what would I have had them do? I don't really feel like revealing how Harry killed Voldemort this early in the story, and him sitting at the Dursley's doing nothing but thinking kinda puts a crimp in that idea. A lot of what he thought about over the summer involved the war. So I started this story at the sorting. It just gives enough time to 're-introduce' a few of the well known characters, what they look like, how happy people are to be back, etc etc. It's just showing the grind of things.**

**I would love to thank my betas… Raven, Chantal, Michelle and Michelle for doing a great job… if it weren't for them… I probably wouldn't have enough guts to actually put this story up on the net. Plus… they call me on all the mistakes I make (which no matter how many times I read it myself… or read it out loud… I never NEVER seem to catch very many of them). Thanks guys J**

**More (especially the plot line!) will be explained next chapter… keep reading!**

**Oh yes, please review if you have a chance! I do love them! Just go easy on me... if need be, constructive criticism is good.   
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: R**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

Chapter 2

Harry did not want to get out of his bed. It felt incredibly comfortable, and after this year he was going to miss it. Hogwarts had always been 'home' to him; it would be weird living any place else (though not unwanted, someday). Glancing at his bedside table, the boy realized that he had ten minutes to get ready before breakfast started. He sighed before resolving to drag himself off the mattress to start the day.

It didn't take long for Harry to shower and throw some clothes and his robe on before rushing out of the dorm room. He ran into Ron at the bottom of the stairs, knocking the larger boy off balance.

"Mornin' Harry, I was just about to come wake your lazy arse up," Ron said brightly. "I'm starving and breakfast has already started; let's go before all the first years eat everything."

"Alright, alright, I'm pretty hungry too."

The two friends made their way out the door and down to the Great Hall. Hermione was already sitting in their usual place, waiting for the boys to join her.

"Hey guys, I'm so excited! Since I already took Muggle Studies and I'm top in all of my classes, Madam Pomfrey offered me an apprenticeship for Healing! I've always wanted to learn about it, and I'v considered trying for NEWT's allowing me to get a job at St. Mungo's. This year is going to be so much fun!" Hermione babbled, grinning happily.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.

"Yeah, if you like ten thousand pages of homework," grumbled Ron.

"Have you two seen Professor McGonagall yet? She has our time tables, so you should probably get them and figure out what classes you are going to take," the girl asked.

"We will get them after breakfast 'Mione," Harry said.

"Well, just don't wait too long. You will have to go back up to the Tower to get your books before our first class." With that said, the trio dug into their breakfasts.

Before leaving the Great Hall, both boys made their way over to the Head Table to retrieve their time tables from the older woman. Ron received his first and looked at it quizzically.

"Hey Harry, why are there stars next to all of my classes except Muggle Studies?" he asked unsurely, looking a bit like a lost dog.

"Um, I'm not sure Ron. Mine is like that too; I guess we'll find out in class. We have Muggle Studies first so we better get back up to the tower to grab our other books."

"Boys, before you go, you won't need to worry about mail-ordering any books for the Muggle Studies class; the Professor has decided to do without this year," Professor McGonagall said.

The boys nodded in surprise. "Thank you Professor," Harry and Ron said together. This was even stranger than the stars on their time tables. Never before had Hogwarts taught a class without books.

"Let's go mate, for once I don't want to be late for class. You know how I love a good mystery!"

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Harry and Ron made it to their first class, Muggle Studies, with a few minutes to spare and grabbed two seats at the rear of the room. They discovered that they did indeed have class with the Slytherins, but so far no Malfoy. It wasn't like him to be late, so Harry figured that he had probably already taken the class and fervently hoped that that was so. But, just as Harry's luck was about to ring true, the tall blond slipped in through the door and took one of the remaining seats at the back of the room, just ten feet away from Harry.

Harry noticed that he too had changed over the summer. Draco Malfoy's face didn't seem nearly as angular as it had the previous year, but more elegant, with high cheekbones such as those of a model and the deepest grey eyes Harry had ever seen. His hair was cut shorter than ever before, barely reaching the tops of his ears, and was no longer slicked back but hung loosely around his head. He had grown too, reaching nearly six feet tall. His body was similar to Harry's in the fact that it was lightly muscled and toned, also from years of Quidditch. The biggest difference was his mouth though. It was no longer twisted into a continuous smirk, but seemed to have more of a pleasant 'barely there' smile. His lips were pink and full, something you never really noticed when he was sneering.

Harry shook his head, wondering why he was noticing his biggest school rival's lips. He also wondered what had caused the change in the boy. He figured it was the end of the war, if anything. Though he did not understand how the boy looked, well, almost happy, especially after his father had been thrown in Azkaban for his involvement with Voldemort. Harry would not stoop to ask though, so he doubted he would ever know.

The professor walked into the room not long after Malfoy and took her position in front of the class. She was a younger looking woman, with long flowing black hair and bright blue eyes. One would call her attractive, in a simple sort of way, and she was rather tall. The woman waited for the class to quiet down before speaking.

"Hello, my name is Professor Maeve," she said in a silky voice. "I am sure you are all wondering about the time tables you received this morning, and I will explain all of that to you in a moment."

It seemed every boy (and many of the girls) were entranced by the sound of her. She sat down on the front edge of her desk and clasped her hands together in her lap, then continued speaking. "Though most of you may disagree, Muggle Studies is a huge part of our lives. With the exception of a few muggleborn students, most of you have never ventured into the Muggle world, and we plan to change that this year. As of today, each one of you will be paired with another student and sent to live in a randomly chosen Muggle town for three months, and you will be leaving tomorrow morning. You and your partner will be drawn randomly from a hat."

The entire class gasped, and nearly instantly the chatter drowned out her words. Most of the students were not happy with this turn of events, and it was evident in the tones in which they were speaking. This really did not bother Harry one bit though; this could be his chance to be away from the stares and murmurs about last spring, and he would get to go someplace where NO ONE knew who he was. He would no longer be 'Harry Potter', just 'Harry.'

"Now, now," Professor Maeve continued. "It will not be as bad as you think. I am sure some of you are concerned about your NEWT's and the other classes you are taking. You will be receiving one assignment a week to complete for a grade for each class on your time table that has a star next to it. Those assignments will bring you up to speed on what you will need to know for your NEWT's, and when you return to Hogwart's before Yule, you will resume with your regular classes. You will be reviewing each assignment then before the Holidays start and you will not fall behind. Any questions so far?"

Pansy Parkinson's hand shot up into the air immediately. The professor nodded to the girl.

"This is so unfair! You can't expect our parents to just allow this! I don't want to go live in any muggle town, and especially not for three months!" the girl spat, her pug face contorted in rage and a slight bit of fear.

"Your parents, along with everyone else's, have already been informed of the situation and while some disagree with it, they gave permission anyways. Besides that, you are required to take this class to graduate. The school believes this will be a most enlightening experience, especially with the recent information we received," the professor stated.

"What are you talking about?" someone asked rather loudly.

"Are you sure you are ready for the shocking news?"

Shouts of 'Yes!' covered the entire room. As much as the students did not want to go anywhere, their curiosity got the best of them.

"It has come into our knowledge that a squib, named J. K. Rowling, has written a series of books about the wizarding world, and subsequently published them for any and all muggles to read. More specifically, they follow the life of one, Harry Potter, and anyone associated with him."

"What!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs, rather pissed at this turn of events. "You have got to be kidding!" '_I don't want any of this! I just want to be a normal person, not the 'Boy Who Lived!' Now I am even famous to **muggles**!' _Harry thought to himself. It was as if the last place that gave him any peace from his adoring fans and their prying eyes was taken away from him. Harry looked pale and as if he was about to start hyperventilating, so Ron gently palmed his shoulder in reassurance.

"That is why each and every one of you will be using an alternate identity while around muggles. As much as we tried to hide our world from them, it was impossible. Now the best thing we can do is play it off like it is just what they think it is: a story. Because of this recent discovery, it is our duty to make sure each student understands more about our world than just witches and wizards." Professor Maeve caught every male's eyes in the room by slowly stretching her legs before standing up. She started to pace and Lavender Brown spoke up while the boys were drooling.

"I think I get why you want us to do this, I mean, if they think they know about us, then we need to know about them too, right?"

"Yeah! Know thy enemy!" a boy shouted.

The woman sighed. "No, they are not our enemy, but yes, we need to know about them."

Harry knew there was no way to get out of the situation (even though it had not completely sunk in yet), and finally gathered the courage to speak up. "What will we have to do while we are there?"

"Finally, an intelligent question. Five points to Gryffindor." The Slytherins in the class groaned. The professor continued, "Each group will have a list of things they need to do while on assignment. You will go to school like a muggle, learn their studies, make friends, hold a job, and learn everything you can about them. At the conclusion of your stay, I will expect an essay on one specific thing that changed your life from your experiences in the muggle world. Each of you will also have a spell placed on you that will alert us to where you are at all times, keep track of the things you do on the list, and if you use magic. By the way, you will not be allowed to use any magic of any kind, and if you are caught doing so, you will fail this assignment."

"That's no fair!" Pansy pouted. Harry thought it was odd that she was the one Slytherin speaking up throughout this entire class, whereas Malfoy sat in his seat quietly.

"It may not be fair, but you will not learn about muggles unless you live as one. Besides, it is also a safety precaution. We cannot have anyone 'accidentally' see you perform magic. The Floo network will be hooked up to the fireplace wherever you are living, and once a week you will check in with your temporary guardian, mainly to hand in assignments and receive new ones. Each couple will also be given a portkey to use in case of emergency, and it will take you directly to the Infirmary here at Hogwarts.

"Now, as you know, students who have already completed Muggle Studies are not required to take this trip. However, before you start complaining that it isn't fair," Professor Maeve said with a pointed glance at Pansy Parkinson, "You should know that those students remaining behind at Hogwarts will still have to complete the essay about an aspect of their interaction with Muggles that has significantly altered their life. Any final questions?" the dark haired lady asked.

Ron spoke up. "Well, I guess since we don't have a choice, can we at least find out who our partners are?" Professor Maeve nodded and began gathering the scraps of paper on the desk, then depositing them into an awaiting hat.

"You know, I wish that we were going to the same town, it won't be fun without you Ron," Harry said to his friend.

"I know what you mean, Harry, I know what you mean. I guess we can just hope for the best."

The two boys sat there, talking quietly, while the professor started assigning people partners from the hat.

It wasn't long before Ron's name was called and the two friends' conversation stopped. The red haired boy gathered his things and stood up while the professor repeated his name.

"Ron Weasley, you will be paired with Blaise Zabini. The two of you will be living near the city of Quebec, in Canada. Please come to the front to collect your information sheets.

Ron paled at the thought of being paired with a Slytherin, but at least it wasn't Malfoy. He tossed Harry a sad smile before trudging to the front of the classroom.

Harry glanced around and noticed most everyone was talking in pairs, everyone except him and one other person. Harry heard his name being called just as he looked over to the other remaining student.

"Harry Potter, you will be paired with Draco Malfoy. The two of you will be living near Chicago, Illinois."

_This is a nightmare! Why does this always happen to me! This day can't get any worse, _Harry thought to himself. He groaned as he got up and slowly made his way to the professor standing at the front of the classroom. She handed him his paper, then the remaining one to Malfoy, before speaking once again. "You two may discuss any details together, and once you are done you both may leave."

Harry turned to the blond-haired boy and grumbled, "Alright, let's get this over with."

"Whatever you say Potty. At least I know this year won't be boring," Draco said as he smirked in Harry's direction.

_Damn Ferret. Ron was right when he said this year was going to be different. At least he is acting more like a Malfoy now. _Harry sighed then made his way back to his seat, Draco trailing. After all, they had details to discuss.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Harry spent his evening sitting in the common room discussing his day with his two best friends. Hermione was sympathetic, and surprisingly so was Ron. Harry thought Ron was still secretly glad that he himself wasn't stuck with Malfoy, but Harry couldn't blame him. It wouldn't do to have his best friend get killed while doing a school assignment.

Harry had found out that he and Malfoy would be sharing a nice sized flat on the outskirts of Chicago, and would be attending a large middle class state-funded school. Of course, it would be below Malfoy standards, but amazingly the boy didn't complain. They would not start attending school until two days after their arrival (to allow them to get settled), so the boys would use the time to find the required jobs for the first assignment on the list. Harry wondered how the blond-haired boy would cope, especially since he had probably planned to never work a single job in his life.

The boys also found out that they would be given these wonderful little pieces of plastic with pictures on them, which were supposedly money. These 'credit cards' would keep track of how much money they spent and they could use them anywhere, without having to carry coins or bills on them. Plus, neither of the boys really understood the American currency. Each month Dumbledore would then convert the students' money into American currency to pay off any charges on the card. Hogwarts was also giving a set 'allowance' to each student to pay for where they were living, food, and muggle school supplies (it would make up for their unused Hogwarts tuition). Anything else they bought came from their own pockets.

Finally, they had received new names. Harry Potter became Jeremie Broderick and Draco Malfoy was Davin Wright. Both boys would obtain their new identification and passports in the morning before leaving Hogwarts, along with any final instructions and assignments. They would also discover who their temporary guardian was to be.

Harry, Ron, and Draco would probably have the worst time trying to stay undercover, especially since they are three of the most memorable people in this so called 'series' of books. Professor Maeve stressed how important it was for the three boys to play off any suspicions or comments like it was no big deal. She even suggested that the boys read the books, just to be better acquainted with what they may encounter. Harry cringed at that thought; he wasn't sure if he would be able to read about his own life. The only thing that had him curious was what the author would have written for the destruction of Voldemort. He guessed if he read nothing else, he could at least read that part. He cringed again at the memories, then thought, _Maybe not._

Harry was upset that he was only getting to spend the first 24 hours of school with his friends, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was glad however that he never unpacked his trunk. All he had to do in the morning was get up and grab his things before leaving.

The 'Golden Trio' spent most of the night chatting, laughing, playing games, and reminiscing before heading off to bed at nearly three AM. Harry figured he would just sleep on the trip to his new 'home' and he wanted to spend all the time he could with his friends.

He was going to miss both of them, and he knew Ron would miss Hermione more that he let on. Of course, as Hermione had reminded them, they could still use Muggle post to keep in touch - owl post would be too risky. The school decided to have a postbox set up in London outside the Leaky Cauldron, and from there, owls would take the post to the intended recipients at Hogwarts. Leave it to Hermione to remember that, but it was her way of saying that she would miss them too.

"Great!" Ron had muttered sarcastically as he and Harry made their way to bed. "The one good thing about this bloody trip was that Hermione wasn't going to be there to nag us about homework, but now she can just nag in writing." Ron screwed up his face and pitched his voice to a near perfect impersonation of Hermione. "Ron, you have to start your essay… You won't graduate if you don't do this assignment… This isn't like Divination, you can't just make up whatever you feel like."

Sensing that Ron could go on in this vein for hours, Harry broke in with a grin, "Yeah, but we can ignore the letters more easily than we could ignore the actual Hermione." He was still laughing when he crawled under the covers.

Once settled down, it did not take long for Harry to drift off to sleep, despite it being his last night at Hogwarts for the next few months. At least he slumbered with a smile on his face, replaying a silent memory of the last hand of cards from their Exploding Snap game bursting into Ron's surprised face.

**Alrighty… sorry that took soooo long… but hopefully the next one will be up sooner. Next chapter starts the trip… should be interesting!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: R**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

Chapter 3

Draco woke the next morning after a fitful night of sleep. He was not too happy about the new Muggle Studies project, but he did want to graduate so he would do it anyways. He knew almost nothing about muggles, and he had a feeling he would be relying on Potter quite a bit (which he was also not happy about). He just hoped that the place they would be living would be somewhat interesting. _If all else fails at least Potter will amuse me. _ lj-cut text"Read the rest of it HERE!" 

While he was gathering his personal items together to pack, his mind kept wandering back to the dark-haired boy. He had no doubt that the other boy would probably enjoy this school-required isolation from the wizarding world. He just hoped that they would make it through the next few months without killing each other.

Despite what everyone else at Hogwarts thought, Draco really didn't hate Potter. In fact, he held a little bit of respect for the other boy. Though, incidentally, that was part of the reason he disliked Potter. That damned respect. Malfoys weren't supposed to respect others; they were the ones to be respected (and feared). Potter just had to go and ruin that. At least Draco didn't respect him for something stupid like killing 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.' Well, okay, he partially respected him for that. There were only a handful of wizards in the world who had the strength to kill the evil bastard, much less a sixteen year old. But the rest of the respect was all about Harry.

Most of it was for the fact that no matter what happened, the boy still kept on going. He never quit, and Draco knew that if he had had to do even half the things the dark-haired boy did, he would have thrown in the gauntlet long ago. The final remainder of that respect was because Harry still had friends. No matter what dangers he faced or adventures he went on his friends were still there for him, and likewise he was there for each and every one of them. Though Draco hated to admit it, Weasley and Granger were lucky. Harry was out saving the world and still had time to be with those dear to him. Draco himself had never experienced that - saving the world or having close friends.

The blond-haired boy glanced at the clock and realized that he had less than twenty minutes to finish packing all his toiletries, get dressed (he still hadn't picked out his outfit for the day), and carry his things down to the Entrance Hall.

Draco spurred into action at once, haphazardly throwing his belongings into his trunk before grabbing a clean, navy button-down and blue jeans to wear. It wasn't his usual dress, but he figured it would probably be somewhat acceptable to muggle standards. With just a few minutes to spare he grabbed his two trunks and stumbled out the door.

While hurrying to the Entrance hall (Malfoys did not run, but they were never late) Draco let his mind wander once more. Much to his dismay, it went straight back to the green-eyed boy. Resigned to his immediate fate, he was determined to make this trip interesting, which having Potter around for company would no doubt help. Though, it wasn't like he would ever let anyone else know that he might actually be looking forward to living someplace new, especially since it was with Potter. He would just keep that to himself.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The morning had so far gone smoothly, seeing how Harry was standing in the Entrance Hall a few minutes before the required meeting time and had already checked in his trunk with one of the Prefects in the corner. Once making sure the information was correct, Harry's trunk was stacked on top the pile of other students' trunks, all waiting to be flooed after the meeting.

Harry was rather bored because Ron was talking to Zabini, so his mind started to wonder where his partner was when the tall boy rounded the corner, looking slightly short of breath. He made his way across the hall and not-so-gently shoved his trunks at the Prefect taking care of the personal belongings. _Well, he still acts like a Malfoy._

Harry snapped out of his thoughts as he saw the other boy walking towards him. He was surprised that Malfoy, of all people, looked almost normal (at lease by muggle standards.) Harry himself was dressed in jeans also, but the biggest difference was that Malfoy had dressed up (wearing a button-down), while he was lounging around in a red shirt that slightly clung to his upper body. Harry didn't know that the other boy even owned muggle clothes, but he decided that Malfoy looked good in them and not out of his element at all.

Harry started walking towards the taller boy, their paths converging near the center of the room. Before either one had a chance to say anything, the Headmaster spoke up.

"Now, I'm sure all of you are ready to head off to your new temporary homes, so I will make this short. Please see one of the four Prefects at the front of the hall to find out who your temporary guardian will be. Each couple will then enter the Great Hall and find their respective teacher, who will be sitting at one of the small breakfast tables near the front. Any final preparations will be discussed and/or made with your temporary guardian over breakfast, along with passing out any needed identification. You have until 9:00 AM to finalize the details and say goodbye to your friends. Please meet me back here no later than that because it will take a while to get everyone to their new location. Please now, enjoy your breakfast," the old man said. He smiled out over the crowd of students that were gathered in lines and decided he was immensely happy with the arrangements. If nothing else, he couldn't wait to read the essays the students would turn in after the Holiday. With a twinkle in his eyes, he glanced at the two archrivals of the school. Yes, he couldn't wait for the essays.

XOXOXOXOXO

The other students that weren't going on the exchange were allowed a free day, since most of their teachers were taking the traveling seventh years to their new destinations. The students that were staying had already finished breakfast and were saying good-bye to the students who were leaving as one group left the Great Hall while the other entered.

Harry and Ron both took a few minutes to make small talk with Hermione before she wished them both luck and gave each boy a hug. In that five minutes, the bushy-haired girl mentioned writing letters at least six times. As she left the hall, both boys separated to find their partners before meeting with their temporary guardians.

Remus Lupin (who had come back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts the previous year) was waiting for the two boys at a small table near the front of the hall. He wasn't very happy about his adoptive-godson being paired with Lucius Malfoy's son, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He just hoped that everything would work out and neither boy would kill the other.

The werewolf finally spotted Harry coming towards him, the blond-haired boy in tow. The two exchanged smiles then hugs while Malfoy stood back, looking somewhat forlorn. Remus motioned for the two to sit at the table, and it didn't take long for the three to start eating the breakfasts set before them.

Harry spoke first. "Remy, I'm so glad that you are our teacher! I was starting to worry that I might have gotten Snape… Ugh." Harry's face scrunched up at the thought.

Remus laughed. "Well, now you don't have to worry."

Draco scowled. "You know, he's not that bad. You are just a git, so of course he is mean to you, Potter."

Harry glared at the boy. "Well, you're a git. And it still doesn't change the fact that I'm glad we don't have Snape as a guardian."

Malfoy huffed and looked like he was thinking of a retort. _Not as quick as he used to be, _Harry thought. _He seems to be losing his edge. _

Remus shook his head at the two, his wishful thinking from earlier flying straight out the window. He spoke up before things could get any worse. "Now, before I forget boys," the man looked at the two teenagers sitting across the table, "here is your new identification." The werewolf looked pointedly at the two boys and handed them their ID cards, credit cards and passports. "From now on, you are Davin and Jeremie, so don't forget it. You both cannot afford to slip up, especially since it could be potentially harmful to you." Both boys nodded their heads in understanding. "Also, here are your portkeys. If there is an emergency, just hold on to it and say 'Portus.' It will automatically transport you straight to the Infirmary here at Hogwarts."

The portkeys were rings that dangled from silver chains, so they could easily be worn around the neck. Each ring was made of silver, gold and bronze wire wrapped in an intricate design, which resembled a Celtic torgue necklace. Harry decided he wouldn't mind wearing the jewelry at all.

"Harry, you have a slightly bigger problem than anyone else, in relation to your status. Your scar. You are going to have to glamour it each day so that no one can see it. Actually, it will be Draco - I mean Davin's - job. It will last much longer if someone else casts the glamour on you rather than you trying to cast it on yourself while looking in a mirror. This will be the _only_ allowed magic during your entire trip overseas. If the charm that we place on either of you picks up any magic stronger than this glamour, you both will fail. So please, you two, don't try anything, okay?"

Both boys nodded once again, then Draco spoke up. "Professor Lupin, when do we receive this charm?"

"Actually, I can do it right now, if you would like."

"Alright," Harry said. "Charm away."

It only took a few seconds, a few mumbled words, and a wave of the professor's wand to complete the spell. He followed the charm with a quick glamour spell to hide Harry's scar.

"Remy, what charm did you say?" Harry asked, eyes inquisitive.

Remus chuckled. "Like I would tell you," he said, smiling. "There was a reason I spoke it quietly, so you wouldn't be able to figure it out, much less reverse it."

Draco actually smiled at that statement, flattered that the older man thought Harry or he himself would actually try to reverse the charm. Well, he knew he would, he wasn't sure about Harry. Draco didn't know that Harry's friends would have said otherwise.

'Draco, I'm assuming you know the glamour." The boy nodded his head in response to the professor, whom nodded confirmation back.

As the three continued to eat, Remus explained many of the finer points of the project. "Obviously, you will be given a tour of the apartment when we arrive, and I will also show you the school before I leave. You both will have two days to get settled in, and I would suggest that you each try to find a job. I know the school you will be attending has a list of local companies that need help. They are usually smaller end jobs, like clothing stores and coffee shops, but it will fulfill the requirement on the assignment sheet." The man handed two sheets to the respective boys and they glanced over them.

"Grocery shopping? Washing dishes? Doing laundry at a Laundromat? Obtaining a C or better in all classes? What is all this stuff?" asked Draco, looking clearly confused.

"Well, this is your assignment sheet. The charm placed on you will keep track of each assignment you complete that's listed, placing a mark next to each one as it's completed. I don't have the time to explain everything on it right now, but I'm sure Harry would be more than happy to help you. Do you have any other questions?"

Harry nodded while Draco continued to stare at the offending sheet of paper in front of him. "Yeah, when do we get our assignments for our other classes?" he asked.

"Every Friday evening, at 8:00 PM, I will contact you through the Floo to give you any new assignments and for you two to hand in any completed ones. You will receive one assignment a week from each of your other classes, most likely an essay. You won't have to worry about any homework until next week though; we don't want to overload anyone while they are adjusting," Remus explained.

Harry smiled at that thought, wondering how well Malfoy would be able to adjust. He snuck a glance at the boy sitting next to him and found that he was still staring at the paper in front of him, scowl firmly in place. Harry couldn't help cracking another smile.

Remus returned it, knowing exactly what the boy was thinking. "Alright, since it is five minutes to nine, finish up so we can meet the Headmaster in the Entrance Hall."

XOXOXOXOXO

There were eleven groups of teenagers going all over the world. Since Harry, Draco, Ron, and Blaise (the last couple seemed to be getting along fairly well) were the only ones going to North America (which also happened to be one of the furthest places away) they wouldn't get to leave the school until after everyone else had departed. Each group would Floo to a safe location near their new flats, then take muggle transportation the rest of the way. They couldn't very well just show up inside the living quarters without talking to the landlord first. Their trunks had already been floo'ed, or as far as the muggles knew, shipped, directly to their respective flats.

While they were standing around waiting, Draco asked the question he had been pondering all throughout breakfast. "Potter, what is a Laundromat?"

Harry laughed, rather amused at how confused Draco looked. He thought that the look definitely suited his face better than a sneer. "Well, a Laundromat is a place where there are washing machines and dryers, and you pay to do your laundry there."

"But what are washing machines? And dryers? And why would you pay?"

"Well, you put your dirty clothes and some soap into the washing machine, and put money in it to turn it on, which then makes it spin around with a bunch of water which gets all soapy and cleans your clothes. Once that is done, you put your wet clothes in the dryer and put money in that to turn it on, which then heats up and spins, to dry your things." Harry explained.

"Oh…" the blond-haired boy said, like he understood. Harry thought he still looked rather confused.

"Don't worry, I'll explain it when we get there."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, I guess," Draco said.

Harry was shocked. He didn't think he'd ever heard Malfoy thank him. The other boy had been pretty quiet so far, except for a few snarky comments here and there, and Harry was starting to wonder if this trip would turn out okay after all (at least, hopefully, the other boy wouldn't try to beat the crap out of him).

Draco shook his head and mumbled something to himself, which Harry didn't catch. "What did you say, Malfoy?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering what those 'C' things were," he said.

Ron and Blaise had finally quit talking and turned to the other boys' conversation, interested in the topic also.

"Um, well I only went to muggle school for a few years, so I don't know a whole lot about the grades. I would say that a 'C' is about the same as our 'Acceptable,'" Harry said. "I'm just hoping none of our classes are so hard that we'd fail them."

All the other boys nodded their heads in agreement. They wouldn't be able to pass their Muggle Studies class if they failed to complete something on the assignment list, and getting passing grades was one of those things. A moment later one of the Ravenclaw Prefects called out 'Quebec' and it was time for Ron and Blaise to go.

Blaise walked over to Draco, his dorm mate, to say goodbye while Harry and Ron looked at each other, Ron with his hand held out as if to shake. Harry shook his head at his friend's outstretched hand and instead grabbed the boy to hug him.

"I'm going to miss you mate. Make sure that you write me okay?" Ron said, hugging Harry back.

"Don't worry. I won't forget, and even if I did, I doubt that Hermione would fail to remind me." The two boys smiled at each other and laughed, understanding exactly just how far their female friend would go to make sure the three of them stayed in contact.

Ron collected Blaise and walked across the Entrance Hall to the waiting Prefect, Headmaster, and Professor Flitwick, their temporary guardian. He waved over his shoulder to Harry before following the others into the Floo and was on his way to Quebec.

Harry looked to Draco and shrugged. The blond boy started across the hall towards Professor Lupin, and Harry gathered his wits and followed. Once there, they waited until the Headmaster gave word that it was okay to Floo.

"Have a good trip, boys," Dumbledore wished.

Draco nodded and stepped into the Floo, following Remus who had gone first.

"Thanks Professor," Harry said to the Headmaster, before taking a deep breath and stepping into the fire. When he landed and opened his eyes, all he could see was darkness.

**MWUAHAHAHA I just felt like being REALLY mean there. Thankyou to everyone who reviewed, it's what keeps us writers going. Also, big thanks to my lovely betas for this chapter, Raven and Michelle. **

**Lots of love until the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: R**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

Chapter 4

It was so dark in the room that Harry couldn't see his hand two inches in front of his face. His adrenaline automatically kicked in and he grabbed for his wand, prepared to fight. His mind didn't stop to process the fact that Voldemort was dead, much less that he wasn't even in Europe anymore.

He took a cautious step forward and tripped, landing on something soft.

"OW! Potter, watch where you're going!" Draco said.

Harry pulled himself back to his feet, not apologizing. It wasn't his fault he couldn't see in the dark.

"Sorry about that, boys, I didn't realize that the lights would be off in the room. Hold on, let me find them," Remus said, his voice sounding from somewhere across the room.

A moment later, light flooded the chamber. The two students noticed that they were standing in what looked like an old abandoned office. The windows had been boarded up, so even though it was the middle of the day, no light filtered into the room. The place looked rather shabby, except for the fireplace. It looked new, and had probably been installed for this project specifically.

Remus walked over to the door at the far side of the room and opened it slowly, peering down the hallway while doing so. "Alright you two, let's go. I've got quite a few things to show you, so quit dawdling," the man said.

Draco stood up off the floor where he had been sitting, and both boys dusted themselves off before following the professor. They wound their way through the corridors of the old office building, finally making it to a side door. The older man thought it would be less suspicious to exit through an unnoticeable door, rather than straight out the front.

It was a rather bright and sunny day out, so everyone was squinting their eyes at their first look of Chicago. They would actually be living in a suburb right outside of the city, in the same town as the school they would be attending. Remus walked to the edge of the sidewalk and stuck his arm out. A minute later, a big yellow car pulled up, which would be their transportation to the new apartment.

"What's that?" Draco asked Harry. The Malfoy family tended to Floo or Apparate most places, so Draco was slightly naïve when it came to muggle transportation.

"Oh, that's a taxi. It will take us wherever we need to go, which in our case, is our flat," said the dark-haired boy.

Draco looked a little suspicious of the vehicle, but he didn't get a chance to voice his protests because Harry grabbed his arm and unceremoniously pushed him through the open back door of the car. He landed on the seat next to the professor, and was followed by Harry, who slammed the door shut.

Draco scowled at the other boy and snapped, "You don't have to man-handle me, you know."

Harry ignored the Slytherin and looked to Remus, who was giving the driver the name of their apartment complex. "Pennsylvania Terrace Apartments please."

The blond haired boy looked around the space they were sitting in, small enough that the three grown men were cramped together on the seat. He whined, 'Why do we have to be in this stinky 'taxi' contraption to get the flat, why couldn't we just floo to a building closer to where this Pennsylvania Terrace place is?"

Remus was starting to get slightly frustrated with the Slytherin. "Because, you may have to ride in a taxi to get certain places while you are here, so it is best you learn about this now."

Draco's eyes widened at the thought of possibly having to get into another 'stinky taxi contraption' at some point and time during their stay. He just nodded his head, as if was saying he accepted his fate (or doom as he would call it) for all things muggle in the next three months.

The group spent the fifteen-minute taxi ride relatively quiet, each lost in his own thoughts. When the driver finally pulled up to the curb, Remus handed him an American bill and all three men slid out of the car. Harry and Draco's first look at their apartment building was quite a shock. Both had never lived any place except the dorms at Hogwarts and their respective homes, so seeing a twenty story red brick high rise with a sign on the front that said **'Home To 211 Apartments For More Than 85 Years'** was a tad bit disconcerting.

A few moments later, Harry regained his composure and looked over to Draco, only to discover that the boy's mouth was hanging open. "You know Malfoy, you might want to shut your mouth before you catch flies."

The other boy shook his head wildly from side to side and looked to the professor. "You can't expect me to live in the SAME building as two-hundred-and-ten other flats!" Draco cried out. Every flat building Draco had ever seen back home was only a few stories tall, with just a few flats per floor. This would be like living in a zoo! With _muggles_!

"Oh, I believe that we do. You can, and you will, live in that building. There are actually quite a few empty flats in the building, but you will still have much more contact with muggles than if you lived in a house of any kind," Remus said.

The thought of living so closely to muggles didn't bother Harry that much. He just hoped that the flat was large enough so that Malfoy and he could stay well away from each other.

Professor Lupin started walking towards the door on the front of the building, the boys each taking a few moments to stare at the high rise before finally following. When they walked through the electrically opening front door (Draco thought it was ingenious and had to walk back out and in a few times) a man met them in the foyer.

He stuck his right hand out to Remus to shake, introducing himself as Robert Brown, a co-owner of the building. There were then introductions all around and it didn't take long for the slightly overweight, balding, middle aged man to start explaining the history behind the Pennsylvania Terrace Apartments. He told the trio that it was one of the oldest functional housing units in the area, and all the apartments had recently had the plumbing, electrical, and any other necessary work renovated.

While both Malfoy and Lupin were listening intently to the man, Harry ignored him to look around the foyer and admire the beautiful design of the building. Most of the room was decorated in an old Victorian style, complete with arches, potted plants, and ornately upholstered settees. Even though the building was over eighty-five years old, it was obviously well taken care of.

Harry slowly drifted back to the conversation between the professor and the older man, noticing that the men were starting to drift towards the other end of the room. He followed at Draco's heels until the group came to an elevator on the far wall. As usual, Draco was enthralled (and annoyed with himself for being so) at the process of the elevator ride. Harry had only ever been in the one at the Ministry of Magic, so he could appreciate the ingeniousness of a box that would take you to whichever floor you desired inside the building, just by pushing a button. The elevator itself was an extension in design of the foyer they had just left, complete with wooden arches and gold paneling on the walls.

It was only a matter of moments before the lift came to a stop at floor number seven, and the doors opened to reveal a long hallway with a series of dark wooden doors leading to the different flats. The small group followed Brown to the end of the hallway, stopping at the last door on the right. It seemed they would be living in the corner apartment.

"Well, I trust that Mr. Lupin will be able to show you boys the apartment, if you have any questions, just call the front desk and let us know! Feel free to move your belongings in at any time. It was good meeting you." The man handed three keys over to Remus, before waving and turning back towards the elevator.

The boys moved out of the way apprehensively while the professor fumbled to get the key into the lock of the door. When the door was finally unlocked, Draco could hardly wait for the older man to turn the knob before brushing past him and Harry, anxious to be the first one into the new flat.

The first thought that came to Harry's mind when he saw their new temporary living quarters was something along the lines of mild profanity, but in a good sense. The flat was furnished, complete with a dining set, living room set, and a 27" television/entertainment system. Harry figured that it was probably all Remus' doing when he came to set up the exchange, transfiguring the more pointless furnishings into the items useful to the boys.

The narrow kitchen was quaint, but clean. One person would be able to move comfortably in it, but it would be a little tight for two. The living room was furnished with a beige and black sofa, along with a matching loveseat and reclining chair. The coffee and end tables were polished mahogany (Victorian in style, none the less) and the entertainment system sat on the far wall. Upon closer inspection, Harry discovered a stereo and DVD system, which he was determined to learn how to use later. The fireplace, with their trunks setting in front of it, was located on the wall next to the hallway, putting it near the middle of the room. The landlord had explained that each room had a fireplace which had previously been used for heating purposes when the building was erected. In the wizards' case, it would be used for Floo'ing. All in all, it was a rather nice setup, especially for a couple of seventeen year olds.

Harry turned around to smile and thank his 'godfather' when he noticed another one of Malfoy's confused looks. He smiled to himself, reveling in the fact that the blond-haired boy was definitely out of his element.

Harry decided to check out the rest of the flat and walked down the small hallway between the kitchen and living areas. He was followed by the other two. There was a decent sized bathroom at the end of the hall, again decorated in beige and black. Harry discovered that the bathtub was a 'Whirlpool,' which sounded somewhat dangerous. He figured he would have to check that out later, too.

The bedrooms were located on opposite sides of the hallway, next to the bathroom. Both were decorated in light and dark blue tones, pretty much the same in style. Both housed full sized beds along with bedside tables and wardrobes. Neither room was exceptionally large, but at least they wouldn't have to share like they did with the dorms back at Hogwarts.

Harry was rather happy with the arrangement, the only disappointment being that the flat wasn't larger. He figured he would just have to be careful to steer clear of the Slytherin.

Draco, on the other hand, thought that the flat was a little beneath him. He was used to large, ornately decorated rooms and this flat was, well, very muggle. He couldn't believe that whoever transfigured his wardrobe actually thought all of his clothes would fit into that small area. He would need at least three more that size to house all of his belongings, but he couldn't do a thing about it because of the magic restriction for the class. On the bright side, even though he wasn't very happy with the flat, he liked the idea of three months without any adult supervision. He figured he could live with the arrangements.

The trio made their way back out to the living area and the boys each grabbed their trunk (trunks in Draco's case) and took them back to their rooms. Since the bedroom areas were identical, Harry took the one on the right side of the bathroom and Draco the other.

"Don't take long you two, you can unpack later. We need to make our way over to the school before I have to leave," Remus said.

A couple of grunts and some footsteps later, the Harry and Draco joined their professor in the living area.

"Before I forget, I took the liberty of stocking your refrigerator. Everything you need to cook with is in the kitchen cabinets. Now, let's get going. We have to walk a few blocks to get there."

The group walked out of the flat, the older man locking the door behind them before handing a key to each of the boys. They eventually made their way back down to the lobby of the building, but it took a while since Draco decided to push quite a few of the buttons in the elevator, resulting in a stop at each of the lower six floors. When they finally arrived in the lobby, the two boys followed the professor out of the building and all the way to the school four blocks over.

Harry looked up at the old brownstone building called Harrison High, which looked quite measly in comparison to the castle they had just come from. He figured that it should be a piece of cake to navigate, especially without the moving stairways.

Remus led the two boys into the school to show them where the Admittance Office was located. They had two days off, but they would need to know where to go on their first day to get their schedule. However, neither boy cared to explore the school fully while the professor was there; they would take the time to do it when their first day came around. On the way out of the school the group passed a bulletin board listing various things such as 'Band Nights,' but the most important was a pamphlet of area jobs for students. Each boy grabbed one to look at later, hoping to find something that would fulfill the requirement on their Muggle Studies list.

All three men made their way back to the flat, Harry and Remus talking about idle things while they walked. A block from Pennsylvania Terrace Apartments was a small bank, which Remus chose to stop in front of.

"Before I leave boys, I wanted to show you this one last thing." He reached into his pocket and withdrew two slips of paper, handing one to each boy. "This is a cheat sheet for the currency here. Obviously, you have your credit cards, but I'm sure when you get jobs, they will be giving you a paycheck every couple of weeks. You will need to cash them. You can just take them here and they will give you American bills in exchange for the paycheck, that way you can spend some money here without having to use the credit card for everything." Draco's eyes lit up at the mention of spending money, and Harry could already see the wheels in his head turning. _Oh Great…. I get stuck with a shop-a-holic._

They continued walking and it only took a few minutes to get back to the flat. Once inside, Remus told each of the boys to sit down in the living area and then he joined them.

"Now, if anything goes wrong, make sure that you Floo the Headmaster immediately. If for any reason we need to arrange a meeting with someone here, just let us know and someone will Floo in to take care of it. Remember, wear your port keys at all times, and PLEASE go to your classes at the school. "

"What about the muggles?" Draco asked, speaking up for the first time the whole afternoon. "I don't know how to do anything here without magic!"

"You know the rules. No magic. As for questions about anything muggle-related, you just need to learn. This project is based on experience, so you better not be floo'ing me whenever you have a problem; figure it out yourself."

Remus ended his speech and stood up. "Well, I must go now, I need to get back to the school so I can make it to dinner. If you have any questions about where to find things, just ask the landlord downstairs; he should be able to help you."

Draco scowled and murmured good-bye before leaving the room to go unpack.

Harry stood up and walked with Remus over to the fireplace. They looked at each other for a moment before the older man enveloped the younger one in a giant hug.

"I'm going to miss you, Remy. At least I will get to talk to you every Friday," Harry said.

"You will be fine Harry, just enjoy your time here. Don't let Malfoy get to you!" The man smiled. "You know, you can always write me."

Harry thought of Hermione and laughed, hugging his 'godfather' harder. A minute later they separated, and the werewolf stepped towards the fireplace.

"I'll see you later Harry, enjoy your two days off." The man winked before lighting the fireplace and throwing in a handful of floo powder. "Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts," he said, then stepped through the flames.

Harry watched his friend go and sighed. It was slightly after noon (because of the time difference) and the dark-haired boy decided he would unpack. He figured that maybe (just maybe) he would ask Malfoy if he wanted to grab something to eat and go exploring later, maybe even look for a job. He would much rather go alone, but since they were in a strange city, he almost felt bad for the other boy and his lack of muggle knowledge. If having Malfoy tag along with him meant keeping the Slytherin out of trouble, then so be it.

Harry walked back to his room, whistling on the way. After all, who wouldn't be excited about a new city to explore?

**Alrighty… another chapter down! Thanks again to my betas Raven and Michelle! We really start getting into the nitty gritty stuff next chapter now that the boys are in the US… time to start building some relationships huh? Or should I? Mwuahahaha…..**

**Also… my beta brought up a good point… so I shall kinda explain it. She said that you don't find much out about the feelings of my characters as of yet… and there is a reason I am doing that. I don't want to give everything away… and I want you to get to know them as they get to know each other. You WILL find out the reasons for their actions…. but just not yet. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: R**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

To my reviewers! I wanted to take a moment to tell everyone thank you for taking the time to give me your thoughts! I just wanted to let you all know that I really appreciate it, and I hope you continue to keep appraising my work!

Thankyou!

Chapter 5

After Lupin left, Harry spent the next hour unpacking his trunk and exploring the flat. It didn't take him long to put the few clothes he had into the wardrobe and he left everything else he had brought with him locked in his trunk, which he put in the corner of his bedroom, out of the way. He made his way into the living area of the flat, curious about the entertainment systems. He noticed that two manuals were sitting on top of the wooden display cabinet, one to each the stereo and DVD player.

Harry decided he wanted to get started reading the manuals, figuring it would take Malfoy a while to unpack. Just to make sure, he went down the hall and knocked on the door of the other boy's room. After a few moments, the door cracked and a blond head peaked through.

"Hey Malfoy. I thought since we don't really know where anything is around here that we should go exploring this afternoon. We could maybe even check out a few places to see if they are hiring for any jobs," Harry said.

The blond-haired boy opened the door wider, and Harry could see that his room looked like a tornado had just whirled through. There were clothes strewn everywhere, even hanging off the inside doorknob.

"Um, what happened to your room?" the dark haired boy asked.

The Slytherin was mumbling under his breath. "I don't have enough room for all of my clothes in the wardrobe, so I'm going through them and picking out what to put in there."

Harry looked at the other boy, trying to hide a snicker.

"Grr, Give me thirty minutes, Potter," Draco said rather reluctantly. The blond looked rather upset, though whether it was from the wardrobe situation or the prospect of having to go out with Harry, he wasn't sure.

The Gryffindor nodded and walked back to the living area, picking up the manual as he sat down on the sofa. He started to read, trying to absorb all the information about how to run the entertainment contraptions so he would not break them. Before he knew it, the Slytherin was standing next to him, telling him he was ready to go.

Harry put the manual down and stood up, taking notice that the other boy had changed clothes. _No wonder he has so many clothes, especially if he plans on changing them every six hours. _He motioned for the other boy to follow him as he left the apartment and locked the door behind them.

When they got to the elevator, Harry gave Draco a hard glare. "You better not push all the buttons this time, Malfoy."

The blond-haired boy looked at Harry in surprise, then nodded, looking slightly red. It only took thirty seconds to reach the lobby this time, instead of five minutes.

Harry led the way across the lobby to the front desk, having decided to ask for a map. There was an older woman standing behind the counter this time.

"Ma'am, we just moved in today and we were wondering if you have a map of the city, so we won't get lost," Harry asked.

The woman nodded her head before pulling a drawer open and proceeding to dig through it. After a minute, she pulled out a slightly crumpled map and handed it to the boys. "I am sorry we don't have a new one, this one is only a couple of years old, so not many things should have changed. I hope this helps," she said with a smiled.

The dark haired boy smiled right back. "Thanks, I'm sure that this will work just fine. Let's go Dra… I mean Davin."

Harry jogged towards the front door, Draco trying to quickly catch up. Once they got outside, Draco grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him to a stop.

"Potter," he whispered harshly, "You _better_ be careful. You _know_ you can't call me Draco. It's Davin. And you are Jeremie. _Remember that_!" By the time he had gotten to the end of the speech, he was almost shouting.

Harry laughed, rather surprised by the sudden outburst. The other boy had been pretty quiet the last few hours, so Harry was quite happy that he seemed to be turning back into the Malfoy he knew. He knew how to deal with that person better than the quiet one.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Harry chuckled again. He unfolded the map he held, looking for the street that their building was on. He noticed that someone had circled their block on the map in red ink, making it quite a bit easier to pick out among the other lines and words. Harry noticed a few other things on the map were also circled, such as the Parkton Mall, which looked to be about four blocks away, to the east of the school.

"Hey, lets head over to the mall…Davin. We can look around and see if any shops are hiring, maybe even stop into a few stores," Harry said.

Draco's eyes seemed to light up at that idea, which worried the other boy somewhat. Harry wasn't sure he wanted to be stuck in a mall with Draco Malfoy; he had enough trouble shopping by himself.

The dark haired boy folded the map and stuck it in his pocket. He started to walk down the street in the direction (at least he hoped) of the mall. Draco followed behind, and about ten minutes later the two boys could see the massive building looming in front of them.

Harry was stunned. He had never been shopping in any place like this before. The closest experience he had ever had that even slightly resembled a mall of any sort was Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. Those places were both dwarfed by the Parkton Mall. Heck, both places could probably fit inside the Parkton Mall. The building was bright yellow and looked like a huge canary lying on its side. There were trees and shrubs strategically arranged around the outside, successfully making it look like a big park (with a dead canary, of course).

Even Draco was awed, even though he was used to the best of everything. Draco had been a lot of places, but never a mall this size. When it came to shopping, his family tended to have tailors come to their Manor to do fittings, rather than going to the shop itself. It helped them to avoid the lower classes when they could, or so his father had said.

The boys eventually stopped gaping long enough to realize that they were standing in the middle of a parking lot, cars speeding all around them.

Before they knew it, a car was coming straight towards them and Harry had to pull the other boy out of the way so he wouldn't get hit by the speeding vehicle.

Draco snorted, swearing under his breath. "Crazy Americans. Damn their driving."

Harry nodded his head in agreement. It made him glad he didn't have to learn how to drive a car in the city, he would probably kill himself over something incredibly stupid. He could see it now: _Boy Who Vanquished Dark Lord dies in Freak Car Accident Involving a Stop Sign and a Coke Machine." _

"Let's go, I want to have time to look for a job if I can," Harry told Draco.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

The two boys spent about an hour walking through the mall, only having seen about one third of the shops, even though they had yet to enter any of them (Draco was quite upset about that part of it.) The place was absolutely huge, with five floors and over two hundred and fifty different stores. Draco looked like a little kid in a candy shop and Harry noticed that his eyes had completely glazed over.

As the two looked around, Harry noticed how out of place that they looked and felt a little disconcerted. Even though they were dressed in nice casual clothes, everyone around their age in the mall seemed to be wearing something different, from tight t-shirts and jeans to clothes that hung off the person's form. There were clothes that were ripped, netted, stylish, ugly, silky, leather, and in every color. The Gryffindor spontaneously decided right then and there that he wanted to get an entirely new wardrobe. He had the money, especially with two estates to his name now, and he had never really treated himself to anything like this before. He decided that for once in his life, he would spend some money on himself. _Why the heck not,_ he thought. _I'm in America! _

Before Draco realized what was going on, he was being yanked by the arm across the enormous hallway towards a store called 'Black Lion.' There was loud music coming from inside the shop and there seemed to be clothes of every type. Luckily for the two boys, it wasn't that busy and a rather nice looking girl stood behind the counter.

"Hey, welcome to the Black Lion. My name is Jess. Can I help you?" she asked. She was a short girl, with pink and blue hair to her ears, blue eyes, and a face that shouted 'Tinkerbell.'

"Hey, I'm Har.. Jeremie," Harry sputtered, almost forgetting his new name. Draco, who was standing next to him, just rolled his eyes. "This is Davin. I am looking to replace all of my old clothes. Can you help me with that?"

The girl appraised both boys up and down, taking in all of their features. "You are British I take it?" she asked.

Harry nodded.

"I love the accent." She smiled. "Well, what styles do you like?"

"Um… I am not really sure. Up until this past summer, I really didn't have much time for clothes and stuff. I am open to a lot of things, just no pants with the behind cut out." Harry grinned when Draco choked.

"Alright, you can look around. It's not busy so I will pull a few things to get you started. Ooo, I have some great ideas! Davin, do you want to help me?" Jess asked excitedly. She loved helping pick out clothes for people, hence why she was working in the Black Lion.

"Sure, I suppose I could, as long as _Jeremie_ doesn't object." Draco said.

Harry just waved his hand distractedly at the two and walked off to look at a pair of red leather pants, just for curiosity of course. Harry was rather excited about the shopping spree, even though Draco was going to help pick out his clothes.

It only took about ten minutes for Jess and Draco to pick out about fifty different outfits. Draco shoved Harry into the dressing room, smirk set firmly on his face. "Have fun," the blond-haired boy said.

Harry thought that the Slytherin seemed to be enjoying this a little too much.

It took Harry over an hour to try on all of the outfits, especially since some of the pants were extremely hard to get on, though they looked good in the end. There were quite a few outfits that had Jess wolf-whistling for him, and even Draco occasionally nodded his head in appreciation. There was only a handful of items that Harry either disliked how they fit or completely nixed the idea altogether (they had given him a pair of those arse-less pants to try on, despite his protests. They had left Draco blushing and Harry had refused to turn around). When he was finally dressed in his own clothes again, he had to have Draco, who protested quite a bit, help him carry all of the new clothes to the checkout counter.

Jess and the two boys chatted while she checked the items out. Harry used his credit card to pay (he was rather liking the idea behind the plastic card) and grabbed his seven bags of clothes. He was walked out of the store with about $750.00 American dollars less, but he had gotten about 7 new pairs of pants (including the red leather pair), 13 shirts, 2 jackets, 4 pairs of shoes, socks, undergarments and a really interesting studded choker. Even Draco seemed impressed by the new items, and they both knew how picky he was with his clothes. They had been in the United States for less than twelve hours, and the American Muggle styles seemed to already be growing on the blond-haired boy.

The boys promised to come back to visit Jess, especially since she was only a year older than they were and was rather easy to talk to. As they were walking through the mall once again, Harry decided that he was hungry and wanted to stop to get something to eat. The two boys stopped at a little shop called A & W to eat cheese fries and a soda each.

While Harry was finishing his fries, he noticed that Draco was fiddling with a piece of paper. "Hey, what's that?" he asked.

"Oh, it's a flyer for a show, at a local club. Jess was telling me about it while you were changing. I guess there will be bands playing there. She said we should come. It's next weekend."

Harry nodded, thinking it might be rather fun, especially if Jess was going to be there. "Alright, I suppose we could go." The Gryffindor took a sip of his soda before asking, "So, what do you think of it here so far?"

"Well, I guess it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I mean, Jess was rather nice. But it is rather annoying that I can't use 'you-know-what' for anything. Everything takes a lot longer." Draco sighed, feeling somewhat frustrated about not being able to use magic, but it was not as bad as it had been earlier before their shopping excursion. Just seeing someone spending money had helped him to vent. _Potter looks much better in his new wardrobe too, _he thought.

"Yeah, I agree, but you will get used to it. I always lived without magic during the summers. Completely without magic…." Harry said the last part quietly, not wanting to discuss the real reason he said it. Only his close friends knew about how the Dursley's had treated Harry like a slave, and he didn't feel like opening up that door of his life to the Slytherin right then. _Wait, why am I thinking about sharing my personal life with him anyway?_

While Harry was finishing his drink, Draco sat twiddling his thumbs. "So, how are you going to pay for all of those clothes?" he asked.

Harry smiled. "Well, I do have two inheritances. Plus I never spend any money, so it just sits there. I've got to do something with it sooner or later."

Draco seemed a little shocked, but just nodded his head. "Oh… well why did you always wear those horrible clothes then?"

"They were hand-me-downs from my cousin, who was always a bit overweight. Okay, I take that back; he was as fat as a cow. They were wearable though, so why throw them away? Besides, it's not like I needed any more attention than I was already getting." Harry sounded a tad bitter when he said the last part, so Draco decided to let the subject drop for the time being, a definite change from the Malfoy he had been before. A couple of years ago the Slytherin would have goaded the Gryffindor until a physical fight broke out. He just didn't feel like making the effort today though, it had been stressful enough as it was.

The blond-haired boy stretched and stood up. "I guess we better get going, it's starting to get dark and I really won't know where I'm going if we don't get back soon."

Harry was surprised, mostly for the fact that Draco had just admitted that he not only didn't know everything, but also that he was looking out for the both of them.

Harry started to pick up his shopping bags, surprised once more when Draco offered to help him by carrying a few. Soon, both boys were carrying the bags back to their flat.

"Hey…Davin. Stop for a minute. This place has a sign that says they are hiring." Harry informed Draco.

The boys had stopped in front of a small coffee shop named 'Café Dot Net,' less than two blocks from their flat. Harry handed his bags to Draco, who grunted in protest. He then ran into the shop and got two applications for them to fill out the next day. It seemed like a rather nice place, and the guy working behind the counter was friendly. Harry wouldn't mind working in a laid back atmosphere like this coffee shop, especially with the televisions and sofas everywhere.

Harry and Draco made it back to the apartment not long after stopping to get the applications, and Harry let Draco unlock the door this time (he was intrigued by the whole door locking mechanism, even though he hated to admit it). The dark haired boy took all of the shopping bags to his room and placed them in the corner, out of the way. He figured he could go through them later, he just wanted to relax right now.

When Harry arrived back in the living area, he noticed that Draco was holding the remote control to the television in his hand, staring at it with a bewildered look. "You know, if you want to wait a minute while I warm up some food, I'll teach you how to use that."

Draco looked up suddenly, surprised that Harry had been watching him. "Oh, okay." He looked at Harry for a moment before adding a quiet "Thanks."

The Gryffindor hid a slight smile about the uncomfortable Slytherin and turned to the kitchen. He decided to warm up a can of soup for each of them, and it was only a few minutes before he brought Draco's and his own bowl out and set them on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"It's not gourmet, but it's food. Chicken Noodle."

Draco thanked him once again for the bowl, before returning to his staring.

Harry started to eat his soup while watching the other boy. "Push the green button at the top," he said.

Draco was startled for a moment at the instructions, before pushing the small button in the corner. The television flashed on, scaring him even more. "What the hell is that? Whoa! How do they get moving pictures in that box?"

Harry just laughed as he started to explain how televisions work.

"So wait, I have more than one thing to choose from when I want to watch something?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded, and changed the channel with the remote control. Draco was definitely impressed that muggles could think of something as spectacular as a moving picture box, especially without magic.

The boys spent the next two hours sitting on the sofa channel surfing, watching various programs and cartoons until it was after midnight. Both boys were having a hard time staying awake at that point and decided to go to bed. They had, after all, endured a very long day.

As Harry was settling down in his new bed, his mind wandered to the Slytherin. Right before he drifted off to sleep, it finally clicked in his mind that he and Draco had not fought at all that day. Even though the two boys seemed to be able to get along, he still decided that he didn't want to spend all of his time around the git (though he had been rather non-git-like the past twenty-four hours). He was still surprised that the other boy seemed to be making an effort, and he had even thanked him a couple of times. Harry fell asleep, dreaming about life size Tinkerbells, arse-less pants, and Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy did much of the same, except in his dream he was laughing and joking with a Harry Potter who was wearing a brown paper bag over his head. He just couldn't seem to admit to himself that he had just had an enjoyable afternoon in the company of his school rival, at least not yet.

**Alrighty… another chapter down. Thanks again for all the reviews, one of these days I'm going to try to thank everyone individually! As per chapter, lots of thanks go out for my wonderful betas, Raven and Michelle! I love you guys J**

**As for next chapter, it will be a few weeks because finals are only a hop, skip and a jump away, so I'm studying like crazy! **

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Outside Our World**

**By: IcyAurora8**

**Rating: R**

**Pairings: Harry/Draco **

**Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash**

**Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety. **

**Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read! **

**AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter. **

**This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!**

**And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise. **

To the question about studying (though I can't remember now where this question came up!): The pursuit of knowledge, as by reading, observation, or research. This is pretty much the form that I will be using this word in.

To Slytherinsess in response to the quote question: I did it to show that Harry thinks of Remus as his godfather, but he actually isn't (not legally). I'm not sure if it is grammatically correct, but I'm used to using them like that. I don't like to use regular double quotations because to me that means it is a specific quote or comment someone said. Hopefully that answers your question! Thanks for the review hun!

Also, I just wanted to let everyone know about the timeline. I understand that DVD's were not really around at the same time as the original HP timeline, nor some of the movies I am using as examples, along with the HP books being written. I am basically ignoring some of the time aspects to make the story work better, especially for the books. So for now… let's just assume it's early 2000's for when this story takes place. Or you can just ignore the timeframe altogether… like I do. LOL.

And thank you to everyone else for the reviews, I'm sorry that I've not had time to tell each one of you that personally!

Chapter 6

Harry woke the next morning feeling quite relaxed after a restful night's sleep. It was odd waking in a different place, but not uncomfortable. Even though it was only a little after eight in the morning, the brunet decided to get up and moving. The two boys had another day to relax and adjust to the new town, and Harry wanted to drop off his work application at the coffee shop.

One of the first things Harry decided he was going to do that morning was try out the 'whirlpool' tub. It didn't take long for him to fiddle with the tap and buttons to have a satisfactory result. He decided that the massaging jets were the best thing ever invented for a bathtub. He was able to relax for nearly an hour before loud pounding on the door forced him to remove his now wrinkled body from the pool of cooling water.

"Potter! I have to use the loo, so hurry up!" Draco yelled, the door still vibrating from his fists.

"Yeah, yeah," grumbled Harry. "Give me two minutes and then she's all yours." He could hear Draco huff before his footsteps stomped away. Harry hurriedly dried off before pulling his trousers on, then used the towel on his dripping ebony hair. When finished, he left he room and knocked on the blonde's door.

"You can use the bathroom now," Harry called through the closed door.

Draco cracked the door, catching an eyeful of the half naked boy standing in the hallway. His eyes widened briefly while they scanned the still glistening body, lingering lightly at the slight indentations at his hips, shown off by the too-big jeans and lack of shirt. It only took a moment for his eyes to snap back up and his face to return to its usual demeanor before saying, "Go put some clothes on, Potter, I don't need to see that." The Slytherin pushed past a stunned Harry and entered the bathroom, slamming the door behind himself.

Harry just shook his head at the strange boy before making his way to the kitchen to fix a nice breakfast. He altogether ignored the suggestion to put a shirt on.

He decided he would make breakfast sandwiches, made with fried eggs, bacon, cheese, and toasted English muffins, all topped with a bit of maple syrup and served with orange juice. The brunet marveled at the completely stocked kitchen, loving that he only had to worry about making food for himself, but decided in the end to fix a sandwich for Draco also.

The blond was surprised to find breakfast waiting for him when he entered the kitchen after cleaning up; he figured his classmate would have left him to fend for himself. Harry was surprised that it only took the vain boy fifteen minutes to get ready.

"Wow, that was quick," Harry said, commenting on the short time spent in the loo.

Draco looked at him in confusion before realizing that he was talking about his grooming habits. "I'm not done yet. I just brushed my hair."

Harry wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan. _Well, so much for the whirlpool tub for the next three months; Malfoy'll have commandeered the entire loo by the end of today. _Taking another bite of his sandwich, he said to the other boy, "I made you breakfast. A bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich." Harry smiled at Draco.

The blond-haired boy hesitated, unsure of what to do. No one besides house elves had ever made him food before, much less his school rival. He looked at Harry, who was sitting at the small table in the corner of the room, eating his own sandwich. "Thank you," was the hesitant reply from the Slytherin, before he took his own sandwich off the counter and joined Harry at the table to eat. He figured that at least if it was poisoned, he wouldn't have to endure three months of muggle torture.

The kitchen was filled with a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few minutes because of the awkward situation between the boys. Both had been civil (for the most part) to each other for the last twenty-four hours, which was a feat in itself. Now, add their first shared breakfast, **_ever_**, in seven years, things were a little tense. Neither boy knew what to make of the situation.

Draco's eyes gazed slowly over the still-shirtless boy, lingering slightly on the tanned collarbone, refraining from comment. He finally broke the silence. "You know, this is really good. I've never had a sandwich like this before." He hesitated for a moment, before saying another quiet, "Thanks." He then smiled at the brunet, a genuine smile.

Harry was floored, not having expected any appreciation for his efforts, much less a compliment. He had only made the other boy breakfast so he wouldn't starve. The boy which Harry had thought he knew so well was ending up to be someone he didn't know at all. Pretty much everything in the past twenty-four hours had surprised him, and most of it was because of one Draco Malfoy.

Harry finished the last bite of his sandwich before speaking, "We need to fill out the work applications today and drop them off, then maybe we can explore the city some more."

The other boy nodded, agreeing to the plan. He watched as the Gryffindor got up from the table, putting his plate into the sink before walking down the hall to his room, leaving the blond in the kitchen alone.

It was only a few moments later that Draco followed the other boy's example, leaving for his bedroom to finish getting ready for the day ahead.

**XOXOXOXOXOXO**

It was late morning by the time Draco was finished getting ready and he found Harry in the living room. The boy was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the sofa, while filling out his work application on the coffee table in from of him. Draco noticed that they were similarly dressed, Harry wearing light colored jeans and Draco wearing dark. Both had on slightly clingy t-shirts, Harry's deep green and Draco's silver. The blond-haired boy was slightly worried about their similar fashion sense, especially since until this weekend, Harry had never seemed to possess any at all. Draco thought that Harry either figured out how to match or his own fashion sense was going down the drain.

Draco grabbed his application off the kitchen counter before joining Harry on the floor, copying his actions. He didn't know what a few of the things on the application paper meant, so he either left them blank or asked the other boy for help. It didn't take long for the applications to be completed, especially since they didn't have to worry about filling out prior job experiences (neither had any) and they only had one number for reference (Lupin), not to mention it was temporary work only.

"You ready to go?" Harry asked Draco. The blond nodded in return.

Once the two students made their way to the lobby of their building, they found the weather to be rather dreary. It was warm outside, but raining quite heavily. Normally, one would cast a shielding charm to dispel the rain around oneself, but since there was a restriction on their magic, neither boy could. Harry didn't want to go back up to the flat just to grab a jacket, but he remembered that muggles used umbrellas when it rained (though he never had, he hadn't been allowed the privilege), and decided to ask Mr. Brown, who was working the front desk that day, for one.

Mr. Brown was very helpful, lending the two boys a large blue umbrella. Harry took it outside and opened it, then held it over his head. Draco looked rather impressed at the seemingly simple idea, and insisted on carrying the cheap parasol.

With their applications tucked safely in envelope, the boys started walking towards Café Dot Net, huddled under the umbrella together. Even though there was quite a bit of room under the mushroom shaped canopy, the Slytherin and the Gryffindor seemed to gravitate to each other's sides, so close that the two boys were walking with their shoulders touching and arms occasionally brushing past one another. A couple of times in the two block walk, Harry or Draco would notice how closely together they were walking and would move away, but the surrounding rain and warmth of the body next to him would gradually draw the two back together.

Neither boy thought too much of their actions; the only real reason for moving apart was out of habit due to the explosive nature of their (previous) relationship. If they had known what the closeness of their walking together looked like, they would have taken more efforts to stay further apart. Thankfully they were paying too much attention to each other and their new environment to notice a few hungry looks from passing females. It wasn't every day that women got to see two attractive men practically glued to each other's sides.

The two students were only slightly damp when they reached the coffee shop. Since it was the middle of a school day, very few people were in the building that late in the morning. The boy who was behind the counter was the same one that had been working the day before. He was a tall and had short brown hair streaked with orange, and his eyes sparkled whenever he talked. He looked about nineteen years old, or at least out of school. When the two British boys walked into the shop, he was leaning forward, arms resting on the bar rail of the counter.

"Hey guys," came his baritone voice. "I'm Ryan. How can I help you?"

Harry took the slightly damp envelope containing the applications from Draco's outstretched hand and put it on the counter. "I'm Jeremie, and this is Davin. We are from the UK and are doing an exchange program with Harrison High. We're only here for three months, but we both need to find work. We live right down the road at Pennsylvania Terrace Apartments, so this would be really convenient for us, especially with no transportation." Harry was slightly out of breath by the end of his speech and Ryan was looking at him with a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Wow, you guys really want this job. Alright, you are both hired. Our weekend help just quit because she started an internship for her University classes, so we could use you both. When can you start?" asked Ryan.

Harry looked to Draco, who was staring at Ryan like a deer in headlights, before answering, "How about Saturday? We start classes tomorrow, and it's going to take a few days for us to adjust, especially with the time difference."

Ryan nodded in agreement, before proceeding to shake both boy's hands, then picked up the applications. "I will see you two on Saturday then. Wear whatever, it's pretty casual around here."

Harry thanked Ryan for everything, before grabbing a still stunned Draco by the arm and pulling him out of the shop.

"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked.

Draco stared at the sidewalk for a minute before shaking his head clear. "Oh, I just didn't realize it would be that easy to get work. I thought it would be a lot of interviews and they would all turn me away, then I would be searching forever to find a job. As much as it pains me to admit it, I know I have no experience when it comes to things like this." The blond grimaced at the thought.

"Well, it looks like we're set, so no big deal now, huh? Come on, let's get going, I want to look around some more." Harry took the umbrella from the side of the building where he had left it and opened it before holding it over their heads.

The boys decided to walk in the opposite direction of the mall, seeing as they had spent the previous afternoon there. They didn't know what lay ahead, since Harry had accidentally forgotten the city map on the kitchen counter that morning.

As they walked, they noticed a few small shops filled with clothes and trinkets. After about fifteen minutes of walking in the drizzle both boys thought it best to enter a small thrift-like shop, mostly to get out of the rain. The store proved to be interesting though, especially since it advertised reasonable prices for movies, music, and more.

Harry headed straight for the video section while Draco struggled with trying to close the umbrella. When the Slytherin finally caught up to his roommate, he just crossed his arms and glared, slightly angry to be left behind with the infuriating muggle device.

Harry looked up at the offended boy and smiled innocently. "What?" he asked. "Umbrella give you a bit of trouble?" Harry couldn't help poking fun at the blond, it was a hard habit to break.

Draco just huffed and ignored him.

Harry shrugged and continued to look through the racks of DVD's, searching for anything that might be interesting. He came across a few that sounded promising, so he set them aside.

Draco eventually wandered back to Harry's side and picked up the movies the boy had set on a separate rack. "'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,' 'Lord of the Rings Trilogy,' 'Willow?' What are these?" he asked.

"Well, they sounded interesting, and a couple of them talk about magic, so I figured we should check them out. You know, for the muggle view on things."

"Oh," was all that Draco could say.

"Come on, I want to go look at the books too." Harry grabbed the small stack of movies and headed towards the front of the store, where the rows of books were located. He noticed an aisle stand with a large green sign that said "Favorites" and quite a few colorfully bound novels below it.

As he searched the rows for anything intriguing, his eyes noticed one particular book which caused his heart to start thumping wildly in his chest. "Hey, come look at this Davin!" he practically shouted, his voice croaking in shock.

Draco hurried over, looking at Harry with a confused expression. He noticed that the other boy was pointing at the bookrack with a shaking finger. The blond glanced to where he was pointing, his brain taking a few moments to digest what his eyes were seeing.

There, right in front of the two undercover wizards, was a book entitled _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._

"Merlin's beard!" Draco exclaimed. He was shaking now too, unsure of what to do. "Do you think we should buy it?" he asked, his voice hardly louder than a whisper.

Harry just nodded dumbly, still astounded at the discovery and unable to form any proper words at the moment. Everyone going on the exchange had been told about the books, but just hearing about it was quite different from actually being able to hold tangible evidence of their lives in their hands.

Harry reached out slowly to pick up the book, then noticed a few other novels sitting next to the current offending one. Each of the other novels had his name on the cover, so he picked up one of each of those. He handed all five of the books to Draco and signaled for the other boy to follow him to the checkout counter.

Harry put the stack of DVD's from his arms on the counter and reached for the of books that Draco was holding, but the other boy shook his head.

"No, you get those… things, and I'll get these," he said.

"Thanks." Harry was suddenly quite nervous, wondering if anyone would recognize the blond or himself. He knew he had his glamour, and even without it, it would have been hard to connect him to the scrawny cartoon depiction from the novel, but he still couldn't quite suppress the irrational fear that they would be discovered.

Draco just smiled slightly and Harry returned his attention to the cashier. He paid with his credit card, and then Draco checked out and did the same.

Once both boys had their bags of purchases they walked outside. Harry breathing a quiet sigh of relief. He shook his head slightly, knowing he had probably overreacted, but still, he had never been in a situation like that before.

It had stopped raining, so Harry took the umbrella from Draco and carried it along with his bag of DVD's. The two decided that it would be best to head back to the flat and watch a movie, even though it was only early afternoon.

**XOXOXOXOXO **

The boys dropped the umbrella off at the front desk and headed upstairs to their flat, planning on spending the rest of the day in the same fashion as the previous night.

Harry decided he wanted to watch "Willow," and Draco didn't care either way. It turned out that the DVD player was rather simple to operate, and even Draco had learned how to run it by the end of the night. Harry decided to make soup for dinner again, and the roommates snacked on a bowl of popcorn throughout the movie. Both boys enjoyed the show immensely, even though the magical elements were somewhat unrealistic.

It wasn't very late when the movie was finished, so each boy decided to take a book and start reading before heading off to bed. Draco started at the beginning, with the first novel, while Harry picked up the second one, _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._

Harry looked at the clock quite a few hours later, realizing it was close to 10:00 PM. He had gotten so caught up in the book that he was nearly finished with it, even though it did bring back some unpleasant memories. He couldn't believe how real the story was, mirroring his life almost exactly, and the things that weren't completely correct couldn't be told from anyone's point of view but his own. It was almost as if someone had been spying on him his entire life. Then again, that's what people at the Daily Prophet were paid for.

"Hey, I'm going to head to bed, we have school tomorrow," Harry said to Draco, who was sitting on the other end of the sofa.

Draco raised his hand in acknowledgement without looking up, too engrossed in the novel to pay much attention to Harry. Other than a few indignant squawks from Draco, the other boy had been completely silent the entire time he had been reading. Harry decided to just let the other boy be, figuring he could ask questions later.

Both boys were nervous about the coming day. The busy afternoon had distracted them, but as they got ready for bed, their thoughts were suddenly filled with the upcoming challenges they would have to face at their new school. As a result, it took both boys an unusually long time to fall asleep

**Sorry that this was kind of a filler chapter… it just basically demonstrates that the two boys are still getting along. It does have a few vital parts… like the books, but certain things pertaining to that will not be questioned until a few chapters from now. **

**As always, thank you to my talented betas, Raven and Michelle. I will admit that this chapter really frustrated me, and if they hadn't been here to smack me in the head a few times, I don't think it would have turned out this way at all!**


End file.
